South Texas fishing report: July 19, 2013

AUSTIN — Here is the weekly fishing report as compiled by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for July 17. Full statewide report available at txfishing.com.

FRESHWATER

AMISTAD: Water stained; 81-85 degrees; 59.19 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics and perch colored Rat-L-Traps. Striped bass are fair on silver slabs. White bass are good on topwaters and slabs. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and punchbait. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

BASTROP: Water clear; 84-88 degrees. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow.

BELTON: Water stained; 82-86 degrees; 8.03 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are fair on live shad in coves. White bass are fair on pet spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on summer sausage. Yellow catfish are fair on perch and live shad.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms in reeds. Striped bass are fair down rigging silver and gold spoons near the dam. Redfish are good on perch, tilapia, and shad. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp, and cut bait. Blue catfish are fair on cut bait.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 83-87 degrees; 29.78 feet low. Black bass are good on white crankbaits, watermelon Skip-N-Pop topwaters, and purple flake Whacky Sticks in creeks in 10-20 feet. Striped bass are fair on topwaters and Rat-L-Traps. White bass are fair jigging Pirk Minnows and Tiny Traps over rock piles. Crappie are good on minnows and watermelon tube jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are fair on live bait and dipbait. Yellow and blue catfish are very good on juglines and trotlines baited with goldfish and perch.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Black bass are good on watermelon Rat-L-Traps and soft plastic worms. Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs near the dam. Redfish are very good down rigging silver and gold spoons near the crappie wall. Channel and blue catfish are very good on liver, cheesebait, and shrimp. Yellow catfish are slow.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 81-85 degrees; 9.77 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red worms, Texas rigged watermelon Whacky Sticks, and white crankbaits off points. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on white Li’l Fishies. Smallmouth bass are good on green pumpkin grubs and tubes on main lake points. Crappie are good on chartreuse tube jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and blue catfish are slow.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 83-87 degrees; 20.92 feet low. Black bass are fair on watermelon spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows. Drum are fair on worms. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and punchbait. Yellow catfish are fair on live perch and goldfish.

FALCON: Water murky; 86-90 degrees; 36.49 feet low. Black bass are very good on watermelon crankbaits and soft plastics in 10-20 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are very good on frozen shrimp and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are slow. Everyone in a boat must have a Mexico fishing license (if fishing the Mexico side) whether fishing or not.

GRANGER: Water clear; 85-89 degrees; 0.90 feet low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits in flooded willows upriver. White bass are fair on slab spoons over humps in the main lake. Crappie are good on marabou jigs in 4-12 feet. Blue catfish are good on shad and prepared bait in 4-10 feet. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait upriver.

TRAVIS: Water clear; 86-90 degrees; 56.11 feet low. Black bass are good on watermelon topwaters, green pumpkin soft plastic worms, and smoke grubs in 15-30 feet. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on pearl grubs, topwaters, and chrome jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on nightcrawlers and fresh cut perch. Yellow catfish are slow.

WALTER E. LONG: Water lightly stained. Black bass are fair on watermelon soft plastics and crankbaits. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on pet spoons and hellbenders. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and live bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 82-86 degrees; 10.43 feet low. Black bass are good on green pumpkin soft plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. White bass are good on white Li’l Fishies. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

SALTWATER (NORTH TO SOUTH)

BOLIVAR: Trout are good on the south shoreline on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass. Deep shell has produced trout on the outgoing tide. Trout are good in the surf on live bait.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working wells and shell pads on shrimp, croakers, Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Redfish are good on live bait around the reefs and at the spillway. Redfish have been showing in the middle of the day.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good for drifters working deep shell on limetreuse and plum plastics. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. Trout are good on the Ship Channel on croakers and plastics.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good at the railroad bridge on live shrimp. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. Offshore is good for tarpon, kingfish, dorado and ling.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on the reefs on live shrimp and croakers. Solid trout have come from the edge of the Ship Channel on croakers and shrimp.

FREEPORT: Trout are good at San Luis Pass on shrimp and MirrOlures. Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay. Trout, Spanish mackerel and sand trout are good at the jetties on live bait.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet. Trout are fair to good in the surf on live bait and topwaters.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and topwaters and live bait. Redfish are fair on topwaters and live shrimp in Oyster Lake and Crab Lake.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on topwaters and live bait over sand, grass and shell in San Antonio Bay. Trout are fair to good in the surf and at the jetty on croakers. Redfish are fair on the shorelines and running with jack crevalle.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair in the guts and channels on free-lined shrimp. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Redfish are good on mullet on the Estes Flats and around Mud Island.

PORT ARANSAS: Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and croakers. Trout are fair to good in the surf on topwaters and croakers. Offshore is good for dorado, kingfish and ling.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on Gulps and live shrimp. Redfish are good in the potholes on shrimp. Trout are fair to good at Emmord’s Hole on croakers and piggy perch.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good over grass in the Land Cut. Trout are good on topwaters around rocks and grass. Trout are fair to good on the King Ranch shoreline on croakers, topwaters and Gulps.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on topwaters around sand and grass. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes and on live bait. Offshore is good for ling and kingfish.

SOUTH PADRE: Redfish and trout are good in the shallows of South Bay and Mexiquita Flats on shrimp and plastics under rattling corks. Tarpon are showing at the pass. Snook are fair on topwaters and shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the flats on live shrimp and Gulps under a cork. Redfish are good on topwaters and live shrimp under a cork. Trout are good on live bait on the edge of the channel drop-offs.